The present invention relates to the field of backpacks, and in particular, to hip belts for backpacks.
Conventional backpacks and similar load carrying devices are well known and in widespread use around the world. Wilderness hikers and backpackers, cross country skiers, hunters, and other outdoors enthusiasts almost invariably pack the necessities and niceties for their activities into a backpack typically having a pair of shoulder straps that permit the packed gear to be carried adjacent the users back. Special-purpose devices, have also been developed to enable individuals to more easily transport other equipment, for example, for portage of watercraft and the like. Backpacks have also found uses other than for sports-related activities, for example as a convenient form of luggage for travelers, and for carrying books, electronic gear, military equipment, and the like. The term xe2x80x9cbackpack,xe2x80x9d as used herein, should be understood to encompass all of these various load-carrying devices.
In many prior art backpacks, the pair of shoulder straps provide the only support elements for supporting the backpack on the user. This configuration, however, has been found to put undue and uncomfortable stresses on the user""s back and shoulders. With the weight of the backpack centered behind the upright user, the user""s shoulders are pulled backwards, which can become uncomfortable, and even result in injury to the user. Moreover, the walking motion can cause the backpack to sway back and forth and forward and backward, in some instances causing the lower portion of the backpack to repetitively bump into the user""s torso, and causing the weight of the backpack to repeatedly shift away from the user. This can add to the discomfort of carrying even a relatively light backpack, particularly when carrying heavy loads and/or over several hours of hiking.
Most modern backpacks that are intended for carrying significant weight and/or for long times, therefore, include a hip belt or similar apparatus that attaches the backpack to the user""s hips, usually near the lower end of the backpack. The hip belt provides several benefits. The hip belt transfers a portion of the backpack weight to the user""s hips, relieving stress on the user""s shoulders and back. It generally fixes the lower portion of the backpack next to the user, virtually eliminating swaying, and keeping the weight of the backpack close to the user.
Although the addition of a hip belt represents an improvement over backpacks having only shoulder straps, the hip belt itself can become uncomfortable. The hip belt is typically quite wide in order to distribute the load over a large area. In such prior art belts, however, the flexibility of the belt tends to result in concentrating the load in a fairly narrow region near the centerline of the hip belt, which is not optimal for user comfort. Moreover, the relatively large area over which the belt is located can become hot due to stress, friction, and lack of ventilation. Some prior art hip belts have attempted to overcome this problem by splitting the hip belt along a portion of its length. This split belt configuration provides two relatively narrow belts (for a portion of the belt length) rather than a singlewide belt, thereby improving ventilation and user comfort. In use, however, the split portions, or legs, of these split hip belt designs have a tendency to either spread apart more than is desired, resulting in one leg of the split belt carrying essentially the entire load, or coming together, thereby eliminating much of the benefit of the split belt design. There is therefore a need for an improved hip belt that is comfortable to the user, beneficially spreads the load, and improves ventilation around the belt.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a hip belt for transferring a portion of a carried load to a user""s hips that is comfortable to the user.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a hip belt having a split portion, whereby ventilation around the hip belt is enhanced.
The present invention is directed to an improved hip belt for backpacks and the like, the hip belt being adapted for transferring a portion of a carried to the user""s hips. The hip belt attaches to the backpack and includes a belt portion that may be padded, and that wraps around the user""s waist. The belt portion is split along at least a portion of the left and right sides. A front strap portion adjustably attaches the hip belt about the user""s waist, preferably in a manner such that the desired tension is maintained in both the upper portion and the lower portion of the split belt. At least one semi-rigid transverse member interconnects the upper and lower portions of the split belt at an intermediate location.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the split hip belt comprises upper and lower portions that are approximately maintained at a desired separation.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the split hip belt flexibly conforms to the user, and thereby distributes the carried load over a comfortable area.
In an embodiment of the present invention, a split hip belt is adapted to maintain tension in both the upper leg and the lower leg of the hip belt during use.
In an embodiment of the invention, transverse members interconnecting the upper and lower portions of the split belt are elongate strips of a flexible material having an elongate stiffening groove.
In an embodiment of the invention, the transverse members connect to an upper edge of the upper portion of the belt and to a lower edge of the lower portion of the belt.
In an embodiment of the invention, a plurality of transverse members are provided on both the left and the right side of the hip belt.
In an embodiment of the invention, a pair of hip belt stabilizer straps are provided between the hip belt and the backpack and the hip belt, each stabilizer strap being located to pass over at least one of the transverse members.